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New Dual Degree Honors Program at The University of Texas at Austin Combines Computer Science, Business

A new, highly selective integrated honors degree program in computer science and business at The University of Texas at Austin will offer a rigorous four-year undergraduate curriculum aimed at preparing students for top technology careers.

The Texas Honors Computer Science and Business program combines two of UT’s most highly regarded honors degrees in a format that takes less time to complete than the previous option of double-majoring in both. The university’s undergraduate computer science and McCombs School’s Texas BBA programs are ranked among the 10 best, both nationally and internationally. Last year, the Business Honors Program admitted 244 students out of 1,828 applications, while the Turing Scholars Honors Program in computer science admitted 127 students out of 1,192 applicants.

The Texas CSB offers distinct benefits for students looking toward careers in today’s tech-focused business world. University leaders anticipate that it will attract high-achieving students with strong quantitative and technical skills from across the nation. The program is a particularly attractive opportunity for aspiring entrepreneurs and for students interested in data and marketing analytics, financial engineering, and leadership roles in tech companies.

Computer science provides both the practical know-how and the deep technological understanding necessary for many fields. “Those skills are highly complementary to the skills developed by our students in the Business Honors Program — leadership, business analytical ability, communication, teamwork, and entrepreneurial spirit — and together provide the foundations for a successful and lasting career,” says Professor Andres Almazan, BHP director at the McCombs School.

“In our tech-driven economy, computer science is increasingly integrated into everything we do, including how we conduct business. Computer scientists are launching startups, making large-scale investment decisions, gleaning insights from big data, and managing our largest corporations,” says Professor Don Fussell, chair of the Department of Computer Science. “The Texas CSB program will ensure that our students have a deep understanding of the larger business context to enable them to fully leverage their technical skills.”

Texas CSB will offer enrolled students a like-minded community, placing them in a small cohort of up to 40 honors-level peers savvy in both business and technology. Challenging coursework will provide a solid understanding of both business and computer science, while simultaneously enabling students to earn degrees in CS and business more quickly than studying each discipline independently.

Additionally, special programming on entrepreneurship and experiential learning will give students the chance to turn concepts into action. Specific internship and recruiting opportunities from top companies will offer positions that combine business with technology.

“This type of program helps students become more marketable and really benefits the businesses they join and the businesses they start themselves,” says Sean Scott, BA Computer Science '95 and MBA ’05, vice president of robotics for Amazon.

“The combined degree enables you to go beyond technical challenges and into the fundamentals of the business, blurring the boundaries of historical job titles and roles,” Scott says. “The knowledge I gained from pairing my business degree with my CS degree gave me the business acumen to work across an entire company and opened up new areas and opportunities for me to explore.”

With the Texas CSB, The University of Texas at Austin joins prestigious peer institutions that have recently taken a similar approach in creating a streamlined way for high-performing students to complete challenging dual degree coursework in only four years.

Texas CSB is seeking top high-school seniors preparing to apply for fall 2019 freshman admission—leaders both academically and in their schools and communities—who envision a career that combines business and computer science. The application process opens on Aug. 1, 2018 and runs through Dec. 1, 2018. For more information, visit the Texas CSB website.

Comments

Hello,
My name is Jeff Mann, and I have been trying to narrow down the best time to use the Hazlewood Act Benefit, and I have come to the conclusion that I want to use it as soon as I can. The only issue, I have no idea what I am doing. If I could possibly get some assistance with this process, I'd greatly appreciate the help. When I got out of the service, 2016, I immediately went to the workforce and started my career. Now, with more time and funds, I am able to spend more time on my education. I've relocated to Austin this year and decided to choose UT, one of the best quality schools in the Nation!
Details about me:
- Was in the Air Force - 2012-2016
- Not eligible for Post 9/11 or GI
- General under Honorable Discharge, reason for wanting to use the Hazlewood Act
- A.A.S in Criminal Justice from the Community College of the Air Force.
- Some completed hours at the Colorado Tech University.
- Interested in dual degree of Computer Science and Business
I understand that I will have to complete an application, which I am willing to do. I was wondering if I could possibly set up a time for a tour or talk with an admissions counselor since I will taking a non-conventional route of attending a University.
Looking forward to hearing from you.
Best,
Jeff Mann

Hi, Jeff. Thank you for your interest in the Texas CSB program. For more information, please visit https://www.cs.utexas.edu/undergraduate-program/admissions/prospective-students. You can also UT admissions at 512-475-739.

Hi, Tunir. Thank you for your interest in the Texas CSB program. For more information, please visit https://www.cs.utexas.edu/undergraduate-program/admissions/prospective-students. You can also UT admissions at 512-475-739.

Hi, Jishnu. Thank you for your interest in the Texas CSB program. For more information, please visit https://www.cs.utexas.edu/undergraduate-program/admissions/prospective-students. You can also UT admissions at 512-475-739.

Hi, Nitin. Thank you for your interest in the Texas CSB program. For more information, please visit https://www.cs.utexas.edu/undergraduate-program/admissions/prospective-students. You can also UT admissions at 512-475-739.

Hi, Mohammad. Thank you for your interest in the Texas CSB program. For more information, please visit https://www.cs.utexas.edu/undergraduate-program/admissions/prospective-students. You can also UT admissions at 512-475-739.